Noble Pretenses
by FandaticForeverAndAlways
Summary: Draco Malfoy was always half in and half out - he was of two minds about where he belonged - his weakness was his family - Voldemort back in power wasn't great anymore. Not when he got to see his conquests in his home. Malfoy Manor, from Draco's POV.


**Written for Song-fic Boot Camp**

**Prompt50: Fall for you by Secondhand Serenade**

**Written for Pairing Diversity Boot Camp**

**Prompt6: If you be the one to cut me, I'll bleed forever.**

**Written for Organization Boot Camp (Death Eater)**

**Prompt2: Afraid**

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**Noble Pretenses **

_There's something about seeing a person you attended school with for six years, tortured in your living room that changes you. No matter how intimate you were, no matter how friendly, or even, no matter how much you hated each other. Something in you rises up, something in you turns protective, and something in you hurts._

"Please… _please_…" She begged. Draco Malfoy had seen numerous people being tortured in his house. He would be lying if he said that it didn't affect him, because, it _did_. But, never had he been as affected as he was, witnessing Hermione Granger's torture. He had hated Granger throughout their school life. He had called her names, and tried to hurt her as much as possible. But, never had he imagined her lying cold and bloody on the floor as his aunt, Bellatrix tortured her.

He could hear her name being shouted from the dungeons, but it was dull noise to his ears. Draco stood frozen and horrified while Bellatrix pulled Granger by her hair and threw her onto the floor. He heard something crack as she hit the wooden leg of the table. Bellatrix waved her wand and her body was dragged into the center, as she whimpered in pain.

"Where did you get this sword?" Bellatrix questioned, sitting on top the girl and running the tip of the sword through her forehead.

"We found it…" Granger repeated. Draco could see tears and blood from her forehead roll down her cheekbones. His breath caught, he felt the intense desire to pull his aunt away from Granger's helpless body. He didn't do anything, though. He simply watched, feeling horrid every passing second.

"I'm going to ask you again! Where did you get this sword? _Where_?"

"We found it – we found it – PLEASE!" Hermione screamed. Her voice echoed in his head. She was inches away from Draco, and he was standing there impotently… doing nothing!

He saw Bellatrix's wand flick, sounding quite mad, she said, "You are lying, filthy Mudblood, and I know it! You have been in my vault at Gringotts! Tell the truth, _tell the truth_!"

Draco's eyes widened as he saw cuts appearing on her arm. He couldn't make out anything but the trail of blood rushing down her arms, and Granger's terrifying scream.

_"HERMIONE!"_ Weasley was doing a better job from the dungeons than he was, standing few feet away from her.

"What else did you take, what else? ANSWER ME! CRUCIO!" She continued to scream as her body writhed on the floor. Draco's heart clenched, he realized, that his hand was trembling. He held his wand firmly; both his wand and hand trembled.

_"HERMIONE! HERMIONE!"_

"How did you get into my vault? Did that dirty little goblin in the cellar help you?" His aunt was mad! She was completely off her mind.

"We only met him tonight! We have never been inside your vault … it isn't the real sword! It's a copy, just a copy!" She sobbed.

"A copy? Oh, a likely story!" Bellatrix screamed.

"But we can find out easily!" He heard his father, Lucius, "Draco, fetch the goblin, he can tell us whether the sword is real or not!"

Nodding almost feverishly, Draco walked out of the room. He was ready to do anything to get away from Hermione's tortured body.

_Potter and Weasley will be down there,_ he almost stopped dead in his tracks at that thought. Feeling very apprehensive, he walked until he reached the entrance to the cellar. "Stand back. Line up against the back wall. Don't try anything, or I'll kill you!" he ordered as firmly as he could.

After few seconds, he slammed the door opened. Swallowing, he walked inside the cellar, avoiding eye-contact. He held his wand ahead, and reached for the goblin lying on the floor. Once he got a firm hold of the goblin, he backed out, dragging the creature along.

After shutting the door, he took in a deep breathe. _I did it,_ he thought. He continued to drag the goblin up a couple of steps until he realized that he had his wand. Draco levitated him all the way back, and dropped him at Bellatrix's feet. She flicked her wand, and forced him into a standing position. "Tell me, is this sword real or not?" she demanded.

While the goblin scrutinized the sword, Draco's eyes shifted to the body lying behind Bellatrix. He could make out that she was awake – crying?

He jumped on hearing a huge crack. The goblin dropped the sword on the floor, all the eyes except of the prisoners focused on the way to the cellar.

"What was that?" Lucius shouted, "Did you hear that? What was that noise in the cellar?" Draco almost rolled his eyes; they would have had to be deaf, if they hadn't heard that noise.

"Draco – no, call Wormtail! Make him go and check!"

Wormtail didn't really have to be called; he was hiding behind the pillar, watching everything. Mumbling something to himself, he hurried toward the cellar.

"What is it, Wormtail? Lucius shouted after few moments.

"Nothing!" he answered.

Bellatrix turned her attention back on the goblin, "Well? Is it the true sword?"

"No… it's a fake," he answered.

"Are you sure? Quite sure?" she questioned him, her eyes large and beady.

"Yes." Bellatrix's whole demeanor changed. She didn't look tensed or worried anymore. Instead, her familiar maniacal look replaced her expression completely.

"And now… we call the Dark Lord," she stated victoriously and reached for the mark on her hand. Pulling back her sleeve, she touched the mark with the tips of her fingers.

He felt the tingle, and pain on his arm. But, his eyes remained on their tortured prisoner – she seemed to have fallen unconscious. He was afraid of what was coming next.

"And I think, we can dispose of the Mudblood. Greyback, take her if you want her." She stated, grinning wildly.

At that, all hell seemed to break loose. "NOOOOOOOOOO!" Weasley and Potter rushed toward them, somehow managed to have gotten a wand. Bellatrix turned to face the ginger, her expression alarmed, her wand ready to fire. "_Expelliarmus_!" he shouted, her wand was caught by Potter.

As if brought to his senses, Draco started firing spells with the rest of his family. He saw his father fall, and started to fire more spells.

"STOP OR SHE DIES!" The chaos stopped immediately. Draco turned to see Bellatrix holding Granger's limp body, a knife pointed at her throat.

"Drop you wands," she whispered. "Drop them, or we'll see exactly how filthy her blood is!"

Neither of the boys seemed like they would let go of their acclaimed wands – their way to freedom. "I said, drop them!" she screamed, and pressed the blade into Granger's skin. Draco felt nauseated as the blood trickled down from her throat.

"Alright!" Potter shouted.

"Good!" she leered. "Draco, pick them up! The Dark Lord is coming, Harry Potter! Your death approaches!"

Hesitantly, Draco picked the wands from where they had dropped on the floor. He took the wands away, and hurried away. "Now, Cissy, I think we ought to tie these little heroes up again, while Greyback takes care of Miss Mudblood." Draco felt a lump form into his throat at Granger's fate. Seeing her with Greyback, would be worse than being tortured in Bellatrix's hands. "I am sure the Dark Lord will not begrudge you the girl, Greyback, after what you have done tonight."

On hearing a grinding noise from top of their heads, everyone looked up. Their old crystal chandelier trembled and fell straight down. Draco's eyes widened, it was the spot where Bellatrix had been standing with Granger. Bellatrix jumped out of the way as the chandelier collapsed on Granger's unconscious form.

Suddenly, all Draco was aware of was Potter tugging the wands out of his arm – including his own. He tried to fight them back, but, Potter grasped it out of his hand within seconds. "_Stupefy!_" He yelled, pointing at Greyback.

Draco saw the werewolf's body fall backward, meanwhile his mother, Narcissa, dragged him out of the way. Then, she cried out, "Dobby!"

Draco's eyes focused on his old house-elf. "You! You dropped the chandelier –?" Bellatrix looked stunned.

"You must not hurt Harry Potter!" the elf exclaimed in his squeaky voice.

"Kill him, Cissy!" Bellatrix shrieked. But, Dobby was too fast for Narcissa, with another crack, he had taken Narcissa's wand.

"You dirty little monkey!" Bellatrix shouted, anger taking over her entire form. "How dare you take a witch's wand, how dare you defy your masters?"

"Dobby has no master!" the elf squeaked. "Dobby is a free elf, and Dobby has come to save Harry Potter and his friends!" Draco felt a chill pass down his spine as he heard his old servant say those words.

"Ron, catch – and GO!" he heard Potter, his eyes swiftly moved. He seemed to have gotten Granger, and the goblin free. Throwing the goblin over his shoulder, he reached for Dobby.

He noticed that Weasley was holding Granger, his arm wrapped over her waist. Within seconds, they were gone.

He heard Bellatrix let out a scream – the Dark Lord was coming, expecting to find Potter – they were in danger – he was in danger – but, all he felt was relief.

The reason he felt it for, was entirely dangerous to even _think_. As he stared at the droplets of blood, which had obviously been Granger's, he felt glad that they had escaped – that _she_ had escaped.

He had seen enough torture, enough pain; enough cries … they were in his nightmares every night. Something had changed in him. Though, he had done nothing to help her, he knew that Granger's horror, would never leave him. And, he was sure that he would never see her in the same light as he had done before – her horrifying screams, her battered body – would always be his constant reminder if he ever decided to change his mind.

_At least she was safe now,_ he thought. And prepared himself for the arrival of the Dark Lord, and his punishment because he knew he deserved it – for entirely different reasons though. The Dark Lord could punish him for letting Potter and his friends escape. To him, it would be because he had stood by and witnessed Granger's torture, and numerous others who had died under that very roof.

Despite that fact that things most certainly didn't look good for him, and that he would be the one who was going to be tortured when the Dark Lord realized their mistake – yes, he was very relieved.

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**AN: Writing a canon chapter from another character's POV is actually not as easy as I thought it would be. It was actually quite an exciting experience to write from Draco's POV for this part of the chapter. Clearly, he was two minds about the whole situation – wanting to help Hermione but unable to, and hence standing by his family.**

**I always thought that though he stood for the dark side, he did try to help Harry in a way. And being a Dramione fan, there are slight hints in this.**

**I hope you liked it. Please do review. =)**


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